Proof of identity

Posted by Justin on Mar 27, 2009 in Abaddons Musings, ID cards, lawyers, legal system | 0 comments When acting for clients on transactions (eg: house purchases or sales), solicitors are obliged to check their clients’ identities. It is not an integral part of the legal work we set out to do, but an obligation imposed on us under anti-money laundering legislation. It is an extra cost that we must absorb, and an extra risk we must accept, but we are not given any option. Failing to comply...
read more

ID card "mission creep"

Posted by Justin on Feb 5, 2009 in Abaddons Musings, cynicism, ID cards, lawyers | 0 comments I seem to recall that, when ID cards were being proposed, we were assured that they would not be used as general means of proving ID, but only as “entitlement cards” for hospital services, benefits, etc.If my recollection is correct, what are we to make of the comment by Meg Hillier, undersecretary of state at the Home Office, that “for legal transactions it might well be...
read more